Here´s what you need to know about fizz according to an expert bartender

Well, Pippa Guy, senior bartender at the world-renowned American Bar at The Savoy and author of Let’s Get Fizzical: Over 50 Bubbly Cocktail Recipes with Prosecco, Champagne and other Sparkling Wines, can help.

“To make the best cocktails, you need to know exactly how to handle your fizz – plus having a few fun facts up your sleeve is a great way to amuse your guests whilst you make the drinks,” she explains.

Here’s what you need to know to get the party started…

1. How many grapes go into a bottle of bubbles?

It takes approximately 600-800 grapes to make a single bottle of sparkling wine. So, when you think about the time and labour that goes into producing the fruit, it’s no wonder a bottle of bubbly can get pricey.

2. How do you open bubbles safely?

Be careful when opening fizz. Open the wire cage and, keeping your hand over the cork, twist the bottle to release. Don’t twist the cork, and never open in the direction of another person or a breakable object.

3. How much pressure does fizz create?

The pressure in a bottle of champagne is equivalent to the pressure in the tyre of a double-decker bus. This means fizz needs extra thick bottles and corks to prevent it from exploding.

4. Can I keep it fizzy with a spoon?

Sorry to burst your bubble, but this is an old wives’ tale. Sticking a spoon in the top of your bottle of bubbly won’t make it last any longer. Seal it with a champagne stopper to retain the fizz.

5. Which fizz is which?

The most confusing fizz jargon is the terminology around the levels of sweetness. When champagne was first made, it was sweetened with large amounts of sugar. Over time, a desire for dryer (less sweet) styles developed and winemakers started adding less dosage (sugar). These wines were named ‘demi-sec’ or ‘sec,’ meaning half-dry or dry. The demand for even drier wines increased so they had to invent new terms that meant ‘drier than dry’. This is how the word ‘brut’ was born.

Method: Half fill a cocktail shaker with ice. Add the gin, Kummel and lemon juice. Shake vigorously and strain into a chilled martini glass. Top with champagne and garnish with silver leaf or edible silver glitter for an exciting, sparkly finish.

(DK/PA)

Let’s Get Fizzical by Pippa Guy is published by Dorling Kindersley, priced £7.65. Available now.